Koblenz

Koblenz – October 29, 2026 -- If household income suddenly stops, 51 percent of adults in Germany (excluding retirees) could cover their running costs for three months at most. For 22 percent, the savings would not last even one month. That is the finding of a representative Civey survey commissioned by insurer Debeka.

Only 23 percent could last beyond six months

Just under a quarter of respondents (23 percent) could get by for longer than half a year without income. Almost twice as many women as men say their household could cover expenses for less than a month.

A surprise bill of 3,000 euros overwhelms 37 percent

Single large bills are also a problem. 37 percent could not pay an unexpected 3,000 euros at short notice without getting into financial difficulty. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, the share is 63 percent. Households with children are hit harder (46 percent) than childless ones (34 percent).

Koblenz – September 15, 2026 -- Florian Sondershausen traded ten-to-fifteen-hour shifts in a Michelin-starred kitchen for full-time trading on global financial markets, eventually co-founding Haag Sondershausen Consulting GmbH to teach others what he learned along the way.

Sondershausen started earning money outside traditional jobs early: at 13 he bought Yu-Gi-Oh! cards cheaply and resold them on eBay, later working as a professional online gamer. Those digital ventures gave him an early feel for markets outside the classroom.

Health problems forced him out of the kitchen

Long shifts in fine dining eventually triggered heart arrhythmia, pushing Sondershausen to look for an alternative career. After his restaurant earned a Michelin star -- the professional goal he had set for himself -- he quit and turned his attention fully to trading.